New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-07-07
"REF0RMs IN TIE CUSTOM HOUSE.
USED ONLY TO AID THE ADMINISTRATION.
WHAT MERCHANTS AND POLITICIANS THINK OF Mr..
aI.-oS.i,s Icy.


WHAT MERCHANTS AND POLITICIANS THINK OF Mr..
MAGoSEs PRESENT POLICY.
Expectation concerning what may be done under
the proposed schome OF reorganization Is now al IT'S
height In the Custom House. The plan was to be
carried into effect Jny l. and there is good deal
of speculation to The cause OF tue delay Inc
re,or that ~ eretsry Farchll hestateJ to approve
the plan led many OF the employees TO rear that 1t
sted radical chahges But this Is denied py
>hose having knowledge OF Collector hagones ihtel-
tons Special Agent Jingle who has just returned TO
duty after a severe Illness and who Tas member OF
the commission which drew up the reOrgahHalion
plan, yesterday said
-" do not know .nything to the reasons tor delay
in carrying il into fect The plan it lett the COM
mission did not template the removal OF employees
but merely Encouragement OF their duties 1t may
have been changed after h lett our hands, ouV OF THAI
know nothing"
Deputy Collector Mason, who Ia secretary OF the
Civil Service Examining Board said: Under the re-
organization. the employees will be renpponted. Tho
lists for that purpose were forwarded TO Washington
BY the Collector to-day. When Secretary Fsirchiid
confirms them the plan will go into effect. do not
know that there il need of his approval in any other
way than By couiirmlng these lists There are to DC
removals. 10 speak Of under this plan but the az
gregate force will be slightly increased in order to MI
some newly places The aggregate OF the pay
rolls however, will be P20, 900 year less than
before. There will be some reductions in pay, and
new clerks will be started salaries OF 900 instead
of 81 200"
Complaint is made by merchants and others trans
acting business in the Custom House that things do
not run smoothly In former times and that there
seems to be- M one merchant saJ In referring to the
mater, uneasy. loose and tOpsy-turvy condition
OF affairs" Old employees In the Custom House ex-
plain this result OF general feeling that IL is
only question OF a short time when they viii have
to CO. What the, see going In the Surveyors de
partment couvoces them that there Is good deal OF
humbug about he so-called Civil Service Reform pre-
tensions OF the Administration. Inspectors are being
removed By the whoissale Ten were dropped last
week and twenty three last month At the same time
the expenditure By the Surveyor for laborers all OF
whom Democrats is greater than ever before For
the last twelve months ths laborers paw rolls aggre
gated $4,000 more than for the previous twelve
this and the item of contingencies IN the Su.-
vcyors department alone reached the extraordinary
total of $74 900, increase of $4,000 over tho pre-
vious year. As all this rs done with the approval OF
Collector Magona those familiar with the facts are
naturally suspicious that the outcome Will DO
general sweep OF old employees md turning over OF
the Custom House to the uses of politicians
some of Collector Magones friends say that his luck
Of business experience leads him into bunders. and
axes II easy Tor designing persons to impose on him.
Ills tendency to fy INTO passion makes 1T difficult
for these friends to talk with him on these matters
Nes rly every day he gives exhibition OF this fall
ing One OF the l1tes in,tances Was that OF young
broker who made a mistake in writing out the name
OF vessel In filling ont o bond. lie wrote La
Bourgogne Tor La Ga.cogno. Discovering the
clerical after leavisg the Collectors Office he
scratched out Boureogne aud filled In the proper nnme
forthwith He then told hun that he should put him
under arrest that no had violated the commandments,
aud gave him a severe lectlre. The bewldered young
broker explained that he had merely corrected cleri
cal but the Collector not satisfied, aud told
him that IL he would promise to 90 home aud study
the commandments he would let him OF with sus'
pension, In which way he disposed OF the case.
Another exhibition OF the Collectors impetuous
temper may result in suit for false arrest. l..
". Orchard. who had on file In the Custom House %
power OF attorney from the Arm OF A. Blum, jr Sons,
signed al order foi the withdrawal by Albert Blum
Oi some goods consigned to the firm. This was done
by request o. tho gnor and owner OF the goods.
Owinx 10 family dispute OF the irm wrote TO
the Collector inquire by what authority he had per-
ntted the withdrawal OF their goods. Without To-
quir NJ into the matter the Collector sent tor Mr. Or
ohard and a the time for policeman. When
SIR. Orchard came to the Collectors room In answer
to the request the Collector ordered tho policeman to
arrest him for getting goods under false pretences.
Mr.. Orchard wa4 not asked for an explanation, but
detained while the Collector sont tor the Blums
who had made the complaint Then he began an
exsmn ,tion and TO HE ssmazement iearned that the
Bums did not wish 10 press the complaint against Mr.
Orchard and moreover. that he had acted with due
Authority of Ian and accordance with the wishes OF
the of the goods The Collector told the police
to lst Mr. Orchard 20.
"0h, no; not Dy auy mesns,' was the reply OF the
astonished officer. have authority TO let man
go after have arrested him. IL would lead 70
my discharge. He must 20 with me to the station
house, and az arrested him on your complaint want
you TO 90 along"
The Collector demurred to this aud finally compro-
missed By sending OF his deputies At the police
station the matter fully explained to the captain
who with misgivings to his right to do 40
allowed Mr.. Orohs ard to 90. That man, having good
posed to make him pay his extraordinary bunder